Liquid-level gauge



' v1,621, 4 March 22 1927' G. J. DUNBAUGH, JR I 58 LIQUID'LEVEL GAUGEFiledsept. 14, 1925 2 sheets-Sheet 1 March 22, 1927. 1,621,584

G. J. DUNBAUGH, JR l LIQUID LEVEL GAUGE.

Filed Sept; 14, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v Patented Mar. 22, 1927. i

UNITED Sra'rssy 11ATE`1S1MTY oFFicE.y

GEORGE QT. DUNBAUGH, Jn., or CHICAGO, ILLNors, AssIGNoB. To CHAMPIONMANU-f YYFAC'ILTJ'l'tIIN'G COMANY, YOIE' CHICAGQLLINOIS, A'CORPORATION'OF ILLINOIS.

LIQUID-LEVEL GAUGE.

Application iiiedsptember 14, 1923. seilal'no. 662,651.

My invention relates to improvements in gauges, and more n indicatingthe level of liquid in containers at remote points, and especially forindicatuse Wherever-.found applicable.

ing at the dashboard of a motor vehicle the level of thegasoline'inthetank at the rear` of the car.

The invention has among its Vobjects ythe production .of a device of thekind described which is simple, convenient, compact, durable, reliable,efficient, land satisfactory for Many. other.'` objects and advantagesof the construction herein shown yand described Willjbeobvious .to thoseskilled in the Vart from the disclosures herein given. I

To this end myinvention consists in the novel construction, arrangementandcombination of parts herein shown and described, and moreAparticularly pointed out in the claims. Y

yIn the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts:

Fig.V motorvehicle;v i

Fig. 2 is a sectional Vview of the gasoline tank with my devicevappliedthereto; j

Fig. 3 is a side( elevat'on of the parts shown in Fig 2;

el is a section taken substantially on the line t-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. tion of my device taken from. the front thereof. f

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the indicator portion taken from the rearthereof; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the same taken substantially yon the'line7 -'7 of Fig `5.

In the drawings, wherein I have illus- Vtrated the preferred embodimentof my in-v vention,

having acontainer or tank 2 arranged at any suitable point'thereof,"asfor instance, at the rear, ias shown, said tank having the usual fillingopening and also an outlet openlng fitting 5,*preferably tubularor'hollow,

' is arranged at the outlet Vopening Ll of the tank 2, the` outer endoff said fitting being preferably screw-threaded externally as at 6` andprovided with an inturned 'annular flange 7 thereat. YRecesses 8 and 9are formed through the flange 7, these recesses particularly. to meansfor 1- shows my device as applied to a I n imize or prevent leakagetherepast.l 5 is a plan view of the indicator porn n fbear'ing, aportlonof which extends onone there is shown amotorzvehicle-l,

being lprefearably `dialneti'ically opposed Vas shown, the recess 8being larger than the recess 9, for a purposeytof be more clearlyinserted through the fitting 5 from theouter end thereof andto projectwithin the tank 2, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. `A disk or plate 12is formed integral with the 'l bracket at the outer endof the leg 10,and

Vis adapted to vform a closurefor the open:

end of the fitting 5. The disk has dowel pinsl andlel thereon adapted toextend within "the recesses 9 and 8'respectively of the flange 7 andform guides therewith sov as to'correctly positionthe bracket ywithin-the tank in' the. desired assembled position.

lt is vunderstood that the dowel pin 1,4 is

of a larger size than the pin'13 so as to ,lit within the recess 8. Thisconstruction insures that the apparatus will be properly assembledtoposition the bracket inV the tank 2.

so as .to'engage thethreads 6 of the fitting" and to press the plate ordisk 12- tightly A flanged ring 16 1sV internally lthreaded i againstthe' flange 7, but permit the removal 'l of the bracket When the ring isdetached.V

Packing material 15 may be interposed bei tween the disk and the flangeso as to min-A Integral with the vbracket and )disk visawithin thebearing 17, thisshaft extendingV through a bearing aperture in the leg,'11y

and carrying a gear 20 atfits endfsaid 'gear meshing with a gear 21arranged Vparallel thereto on the lleg 11 and carrying a float# arm 21aanda float 2.2, the gear' 2l being rotatably journaled upon a pin 21bcarriedl A.

bythelegll. U. j t

A flexible shaft 23 is detachably connected vat one end to the end ofthesolid shaft 19 the other end of the flexible shaftextending to suitableindicating means ar-` ranged at the dashboard of the vehicle. Any

suitable Vmeans may be provided for,

detachably connecting one end ofthe flex-` ibi@ sima 23 to the' goudShea 19, but ,1

prefer to provide an extension member 23a upon the flexible shaft, whichextension member is adapted to engage a slot 19a formed in the solidshaft. A conduit or sheathing 24 preferably surrounds the flexibleshaft,said conduit having tapered enlargements 25 inwardly of the endsthereof. The end of the sheathing adjacent the bearing portion 18 isinsertable thereinto, and there is a nut 26 slidable on said sheathingand having a tapered portion engageable with the tapered enlargement 25and a threaded portion engageable with the threads provided on the part18, so that when the nut is tightened the end ofthe conduit will be heldtightly in place.

t, is obvious that. any movement of the float'22", due to the rise orfall of the liquid within thetank, willl cause a rotation of the gearsand' shafts. connected thereto. In order to transmit this rotativemovement to the indicating means, whereby the amount-of the gasolinewithin. the tank may be ascertained,l Ij have arranged' anv indicator atthe dashboard or instrument board of the vehijcle. 'This indicatorpreferably comprises a casing member 28 having an outwardly directedannular flange 29 which bears againstl one side of the instrument board30, asshown more particularly in F ig. 7

yStuds 31 are carried, by the bottom of the casing so as to projecttherefrom and be engagedby nuts 32.l A bracket 33'having legs V34*exterfdinglaterally therefrom is slidable ony the studsk 3l, and isclamped against the rear of' the instrument board by means of the nuts32 as showm thus securing the casing firmly but removably; in pla-ce.

'A plug, or bushing 35 is arranged to project from both sides of thebottom of vthe casing 28, the exteriorly projecting portion ofV thefplugbeingl externally screw-threaded as at 36, andY theend of the internallyprojecting portion of the plug or bushing having a spherical recess 37formed thereat. A nut 38 cooperates with the portion` 36 to tightlyclamp the plug inY place against the casing, A dial' 39 is arrangedtransversely of' theV Casing,y and a pointer 40l is movable across theface ofthe dial, this pointer having a spherical enlargement 41 to seatwithin thespherical bearing 37 provided at theend of' the bushing Y Acoupling nut 26. cooperates with the threaded? partofv the bushing 36and with the conduit 24' to tightly clamp thel conduit in placeOperating in the same manner as the nut 26; previously described. Theflexible shaft 23v is connected to the pointer 40, so that anyl movementof the-float is transmitted directly through the flexible shafting tothe pointer So as to effect a movement thereof.

A glassplate 42 is arranged at the outer sideofthe casing, andy is heldwithin a sleeve or bezel 43 frictionally fitting within the casing 28.The glass 42 may be held against inward movement by means of a springring 44.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to -be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement andcombination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned. Y

l/Vhat I claiml as new and: desire to secureY by Letters Patent is:

l. ln a device of the kind describedi'and" in combination, a tankhavingan opening therein, a hollow fitting adapted: to surround said opening,an annular flange formed upon the fitting and provided with apertures ofdifferent` sizes, a bracket, a' plate formed integral with said bracketadapted' to engage the end' of said fitting, an el'onL gated bearingformed centrally of saidplate, different sized dowel pins on said; plateto lit said different sized apertures in saidt flange so as to correctlypositionv saidbracketv in assembling', a pin projecting from saidbracket, a gear mounted on said pin,a shaft inserted through saidbearing, a second gear mounted' on said shaft and meshed with said firstgear, a float, an arm for connecting the float to the first gear, aclamping ring cooperating with the fitting for clamping-*the platethereagainst, an indicator, a flexible Vshaft having one end insertedthrough saids bearing and connected with one endl of: saidfirst-mentioned shaft, the other en dj of" Said flexible shaft beingconnected to saidy indicator', a sheathing for the flexible shaftrhaving one end inserted into said bearing, and a nut for clamping saidshea-thing to said bearing.

2. 1n a device of the kind describedl and in combination, a hollowfitting adapted t0l surround an opening in aV tank and having anexternally threaded end, an inturned annular flange formed upon thefitting adjacent its threaded end, said flangev having different sizedapertures formed therein,` a bracket formed of a pair of bent arms, aplate integral withsaidbracket at the end of one of said arms, anelongated bearing centrally of said plate and extending on both, sidesthereof and integral therewith,

different sizedv dowel pins on said plate to fit within said differentsized apertures in said flange so as to correctly'position said bracketin assembling, a pair of intermeshing` gears disposed adjacent the otherof said arms, one of said gears being in line withV said bearing, ashaftv connected to said gearand inserted through said bearing, afloat,means connecting the float to the other ofl said gears, a clamping ringcooperating with the externally threaded end of the fittingl forclamping the plate thereagainst, the outer extending portion of saidbearing being externally screw threaded, an indicator. a flexible shafthaving one end inserta'ble ythrough said bearing and detachablyconnected with the end of said Vfirst mentioned shaft, the other 'end ofvsaid flexible shaft connected to said indicator, a sheathing having atapered enlargement adjacent its ends and insertable into the threadedportion of the 10 bearing, and a nut for clamping said tapered v,portion' of the sheathing against fthe threaded end of thebearing.

In testimony whereof5 I signed m name,

(YEORGE J. DUNBAUGH, JR.

have hereunto

